Contacting Your State Attorney General Regarding LGBTQ+ Laws

Licensed Professional Counselors may consider reaching out to their attorney general for guidance on working with the LGBTQ+ community if they have questions or concerns about legal issues related to their practice. For example, counselors may want to seek guidance on how to comply with state and federal laws that protect the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, or they may have questions about how to handle situations where they believe a client's rights have been violated.

Additionally, counselors may need to seek guidance from attorneys general if they face legal challenges related to their work with LGBTQ+ clients, such as needing legal support if they are sued by a client or face disciplinary action from a licensing board.

The specific circumstances under which a counselor should reach out to their attorney general will vary depending on the state where they practice and the specific legal issues they are facing. As such, it may be helpful for mental health counselors to consult with their professional organizations and legal advisors to determine when it's appropriate to seek guidance from the attorney general.

How Do I Contact My Attorney General?

Contact information for your state’s attorney general is usually available on the state's official website. Below are some general steps you can follow, or go to:

Go to your state's official website. (Search "[State Name] official website" in your preferred browser.)
Look for the section on the website that pertains to the attorney general's office. This can usually be found under the "Government" or "Legal" section of the website.
Find the contact information for the attorney general's office. This may include a phone number, email address or mailing address.
Contact the attorney general's office using the contact information provided. It's a good idea to be prepared with a clear and concise explanation of your question or concern so that you can make the most of your contact with the office.

Note: Some states may have a hotline or online form specifically for reporting consumer complaints or concerns related to mental health care. You can often find this information on the attorney general's website or by doing a quick internet search for "[State Name] attorney general consumer complaint."

State Resources & Advocacy Organizations

For additional guidance/help on LGBTQ+ issues, please contact the experts in your state.

ACLU: Know Your Rights | LGBTQ Rights | ACLU
Lambda Legal: Legal Help Desk - Lambda Legal
Trevor Project: The Trevor Project | For Young LGBTQ Lives
SAIGE: Advocacy – Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (saigecounseling.org)
SAGE: LGBTQ+ Aging – SAGE (sageusa.org)
U.S. Department of State: United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally 2022
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Guidance on Protecting Privacy
HHS HIPAA Privacy Rule and Disclosures of Information Relating to Reproductive Health Care: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/phi-reproductive-health/index.html
HHS Protecting the Privacy and Security of Your Health Information When Using Your Personal Cell Phone or Tablet: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/cell-phone-hipaa/index.html
File a Complaint: If you believe that a HIPAA-covered entity or its business associate violated your (or someone else’s) health information privacy rights or committed another violation of the Privacy, Security, or Breach Notification Rules, you may file a complaint at https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
For more information on how HHS is working to protect reproductive rights, visit www.ReproductiveRights.gov.

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